PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Craig Anderson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joe Piscopo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Anderson kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is The High Road. Piscopo has chosen He's Carl Lewis as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Anderson
vs
Piscopo

174 cm
24
154 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

173 cm
28
155 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Good knees
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Steel Penn's Laundry 93%

Vitality
Steel Penn's Laundry 93%

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Craig Anderson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Joe Piscopo!
The judges for this bout are Gregory Folan, Yves DeLean and Steve Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Piscopo shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Anderson tries to lock up and control but Piscopo gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Piscopo wants to control the pace but Anderson is squirming around nicely.
Piscopo sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Piscopo sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Anderson is bucking up trying to escape but Piscopo cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Anderson is trying to escape the mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Piscopo throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Piscopo thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Piscopo controlling his opponent.
Anderson has given up his back.

Piscopo is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Anderson is defending well though. Piscopo let's go of the attempt for now.

Piscopo is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Anderson knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Anderson for a finish.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Anderson fending off the submission attempt from Piscopo.

Piscopo is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Anderson is defending well though. Piscopo let's go of the attempt for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Piscopo is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Anderson defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Anderson wants to control his opponent's hands but Piscopo gets his hands free.
Piscopo doesn't have the hooks in and Anderson manages to turn into his guard.
Piscopo keeping moving, preventing Anderson from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Anderson stopping the sweep attempt from Piscopo.
Piscopo keeping moving, preventing Anderson from controlling successfully.
Anderson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Piscopo is keeping the position for now.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Anderson looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Craig Anderson.
Anderson throws a big shot that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Piscopo dominated that round.
That's time! Anderson's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Anderson wants to land a leg kick but Piscopo is out of range.
A lazy left from Anderson finds it's target.
Joe Piscopo is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Piscopo clinches up with Anderson and pushes him back against the cage.
Anderson lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Anderson tries to land a knee to the head but Piscopo blocks with his arms.
Anderson looking to throw knees to the head but Piscopo is blocking nicely.

Piscopo is trying to trip Anderson. He has hold of a leg but Anderson is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Piscopo persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Anderson wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Anderson keeping moving, preventing Piscopo from controlling successfully.
Piscopo loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Piscopo accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Piscopo throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Joe Piscopo has got the better of the ground game so far.
Piscopo works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Piscopo is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Piscopo looking to pass the guard.
Piscopo throws a big right hand that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Anderson bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Piscopo's guard.
Anderson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Piscopo is keeping the position for now.
Piscopo wants to sweep here but Anderson controlling him for the moment.
Anderson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Piscopo has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Anderson can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Piscopo is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Anderson has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Piscopo is pulling down on Anderson's head. It's preventing any offense from Anderson, at least for the moment.
Anderson trying to control the position from guard on top but Piscopo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Piscopo wants to sweep but no luck.
Anderson sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Piscopo's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Anderson looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Piscopo trying to control but Anderson postures up.
Piscopo is trying is best to control the position here.
Piscopo tries to get to full guard but Anderson has control of the leg.
Piscopo looks like he's trying to stand up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Anderson is keen to just control but Piscopo is a slippery customer.
Piscopo wants to improve his position but Anderson is controlling well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Piscopo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Anderson's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Anderson lands with a right hand.
Piscopo looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Anderson shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Piscopo but Piscopo pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Anderson tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Piscopo closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Anderson quickly recovers to half guard.
Piscopo missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Anderson is looking for a sweep. Piscopo is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Anderson is trying to control but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Anderson is looking for a sweep. Piscopo is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Piscopo not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Anderson is in trouble now - Piscopo has advanced to mount!
Piscopo trying to control but he's not successful this time.

Piscopo looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Anderson working to try and regain half guard.

Piscopo goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Anderson is on top in guard.
Piscopo wants to sweep here but Anderson controlling him for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Anderson looking to pass the guard.
Anderson looking to sit in guard and control but Piscopo gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Piscopo throws a big right hand that misses.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Anderson is on top in guard.

Piscopo has thrown up a leg looking for a triangle. Anderson doesn't defend quickly enough and Piscopo has managed to lock this one up! Can Anderson escape?! NO! He's tapping out! Damn, that was a quick submission - congrats to Piscopo on a fantastic submission victory.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Joe Piscopo!
In his post fight interview, Joe Piscopo started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.